Articles Posted in the " The Hobbit " Category

On Monday night, Middle-Earth fans across the country were treated to their best glimpse yet of forthcoming dragon-laden caper The Desolation of Smaug. Sarah Deen, our Hobbit in the field, was there – and here’s what she found out about Bilbo’s next adventure.

“It can be a lot of fun, but it’s not a game.” Twenty-first century sage Jim’s Dad speaks for us all; but is he talking about the time-honoured traditions of self-abuse, or the oeuvre of JRR Tolkien as projected through the slightly smeary lens of Peter Jackson? Our newest writer Will Donovan is risking the wrath of ten million Bilbo fanboys as he explains why our latest trip into Middle-Earth has more than a little in common with that time your mum caught you balls-deep in a microwaved watermelon.

A national treasure, a gay icon, a Shakespearean behemoth, a level 4 magnetic mutant and Mithrandir himself, Sir Ian McKellen is one of the greatest actors of all time. At the age of 73, our 5 foot 11 inches undertaker continues to astound, most recently in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Did you know that Sir Ian attended Cambridge University where he studied English, and that he only got a 2:2? NO!? Then you’d better read our Ian McKellen Cheat Sheet!

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is undoubtedly an event-movie, but can it overcome the ridiculously high expectations and accusations of technological awkwardness surrounding its release? Yes. Yes it can. All the criticisms leveled at the first film in The Hobbit trilogy might be justifiable, but Peter Jackson has still created a worthy prequel to the Lord Of The Rings. Big flashy set pieces, enjoyable and complex characters and an accessible yet captivating script add up to a movie you will be proud to one day have as the cornerstone of your DVD collection. You’ll never be so glad to return to Middle Earth.